


Think of the Children

by sungabraverday



Series: Maysilee Donner: Victor [4]
Category: Hunger Games Trilogy - Suzanne Collins
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-02-12
Updated: 2012-02-12
Packaged: 2017-11-13 01:02:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 639
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/497657
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sungabraverday/pseuds/sungabraverday
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Children play their games, and adults look on.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Think of the Children

The three blonde women sat around the kitchen table, looking out the large window of the house in the Victor’s Village. Outside, their respective children were playing on the grass in the garden. Three blonde boys, the oldest ten and the youngest six, chased each other around the yard, playing tag. Little Sandra pretended to drink some berry and water concoction that her sister had come up with, spilling it all over herself. Madge tried to persuade Katniss to drink the fake tea, while she refused to touch it. She kept glancing up to watch the boys and their game, obviously itching to jump up and join them.

The day was bright and sunny and warming, but the ground was still damp with the morning’s dew. The girls were settled on the ground, unconcerned for the stains that were certain to form on their clothing, Madge’s pretty yellow dress especially. The boys were covered in grass stains already, knees green and worn from repeated falling.

The game changed in an instant, as Leaven ran right through the girls’ tea party, in a bid to escape his older brother. He knocked over their drink and sent Sandra falling to the ground, shrieking in surprise.

Inside, Marjorie rose to her feet to help her younger daughter up, but Maysilee held out her hand for her twin to stop. “She’s not hurt,” she said simply, looking out the window smiling. Sandra had gotten back to her feet swiftly and joined Katniss and Madge in chasing the boys around the garden.

Marjorie murmured something about stains, but sat down again, fidgeting. Maysilee just laughed. “You’re the Mayor’s wife, Marge, love, you’ll be able to get things cleaned up, I’m certain.”

The children continued their game, though it was hard to tell exactly what it was they were playing any more. Madge was chasing after Bran unsuccessfully, hair falling out of her braids and flying around at random, her dress covered in shades of brown, green, and purple. Katniss caught up to Leaven, pushing him hard as she tagged him. He faltered and tripped, but Maysilee didn’t move. She never interfered when they were playing. One day she wouldn’t be there to do it, so there was no point in them getting used to expecting her.

Leaven was back on his feet in an instant, proving Maysilee’s silent point. He turned to chase Katniss, but she just laughed, already running, joining Sandra in chasing after Peeta instead.

Yarrow smiled, rocking a sleeping baby Primrose in her arms. “Just like her father,” she said, and Maysilee glanced sharply over at her closest friend.

For all that time had somehow left them together, the three Merchant girls from their year, Maysilee could tell that they were growing apart, and she suspected that if it weren’t for the fact that she were here, Marjorie and Yarrow would hardly speak. Yarrow lived in the Seam now, married to a miner, who she loved like life itself. And Maysilee herself had survived the Hunger Games, and that was enough to change her forever, almost beyond recognition some days. Marjorie was the most like they had used to be, but even she had changed, more desperate to hold onto the people she had now than she had ever been before.

Madge fell to the ground laughing, joined shortly thereafter by Sandra, Leaven, and Peeta. Bran and Katniss continued to run around, jumping up and down gleefully, before throwing themselves into a pile with the others, screaming with laughter. The game had been fun, but it was over as quickly as it had begun.

Quiet spread through the kitchen, a sense of melancholy punctuating even this otherwise happy moment. With just one week before the next reaping, Maysilee wished the children’s games were the only ones she had to worry about.


End file.
